Going back to professional school?

1. Going back to professional school? For alumni interested in returning to school to pursue a career in Medicine or in Dentistry

2. Do I have the required course work? • You will need to have completed (with a C or better) ideally in the last 5 to 7 years: • 2 semesters of Organic Chemistry with lab • 2 semesters of Inorganic (or General) Chemistry with lab • 2 semesters of Physics with lab • 2 semesters of Biology with lab • 2 semesters of college math (calculus and statistics is common) • 2 semesters of “writing intensive” coursework or English courses

3. Required courses, continued… • Any classes that the schools that you are interested in may also require. Some require Biochemistry, a Behavioral Science (Psychology or Sociology) or additional Biology courses. • Most dental schools require Biochemistry. • If you are taking the MCAT in 2015 or after, you will need a working knowledge of Biochemistry and of the Behavioral Sciences.

4. If I need courses, where should I take them? • Ideally, not a community college. • A state university is fine…just do well! • If you intend to continue working, look for evening classes. • Many larger universities cater to “non-traditional” students by offering courses that allow for a full-time job. • You generally don’t have to enroll full time, but can take individual classes as they suit your schedule.

5. What about a Post-Baccalaureate program? • These are nice in that they offer the courses you need in a defined sequence. • They also give you a built-in peer group for support and often administrative support as well. • Some allow for a part-time program to allow students to continue to work. • One major downside: they aren’t cheap.

6. What about the MCAT/DAT? • You will need to have the science coursework completed before sitting for the exam (the exception is that Physics isn’t on the DAT). • Kaplan and ExamKrackers offer on-site courses; Kaplan offers online on demand ones as well (there are other companies, too, these are just the more commonly used ones here).

7. Finances? • MCAT prep: $0-$2000+ • MCAT: $270 • Primary Application: $160 (includes first school); additional schools are $34 each. • Secondary Applications: $50-$150 each • Travel to interviews: ??? • Cost of applying fact sheet • AAMC "Can I Afford Medical School?" Podcast

8. AAMC FIRST • Financial Information, Resources, Services, and Tools (FIRST) • https://www.aamc.org/services/first/

9. Experience • The most “efficient” way to get experience may be to look for a paid position in health care…this isn’t always easy (or glamorous!) • If this isn’t an option, look for volunteering/observational experiences with a clinical direction. • If you’re working, the ER is open 24-hours. Maybe start there.

10. Non-clinical service • Be involved in your community just like you were probably involved in the campus community when you were here. • Service to others (not just in a medical capacity) and leadership are important.

11. What schools do I apply to? • Schools in your state of residency. • Texas and California have lots of schools but tend to be very preferential to residents. • Private schools out-of-state.

12. General Timeline: • Complete any necessary coursework • Prepare for MCAT or DAT (minimally 3 months) • Take exam and write application. • Submit primary (Ideally in early summer – June/July) and complete supplementals. • Interviews begin late summer and go through early spring (Mar/Apr) • Matriculate (Aug/Sept) • 4 years of school; minimum of 3 years residency…more depending on chosen field.

13. Still interested? • Next step is to contact me to start the preparation process. Alison Patterson apatters@bucknell.edu